Retention Leadership By Kreg Enderson At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

Why do people go from one organization to another? More money? Closer to home? When we look at exit interview data, I would challenge you to question how honest team members are about why they are leaving. Most people would rather not "ruffle any feathers", so they say that the reason is more money or less of a drive. Sometimes that is true, but other times they are just hiding the real reason, and it is out there in your organization ready to claim it's next victom.

I love 360 Surveys, because they give us a chance to really see what team members are thinking and feeling, while they are still employed with us. It's almost like getting the answers to a final exam in college. Right there in front of us, information about what do well, and where our opportunities are. But I am amazed at the numbers of leaders that refuse to buy into "reality". They get the summary information from the survey, and dismiss all the negative things because "that's not what I do" or "how I am". Perception is reality!!! As leaders we need to listen, and adjust. Not everything we do is received as it was intended. Without this feedback we will never have the chance to get it right.

So what is this "Retention Leadership"? Back to the surveys. Most surveys clearly point out that the number one reason why people leave a place of employment is because of the person they report to.......Their Manager. They did not feel that they could be successful (or happy) as long as they worked for the person. So how do we provide leadership that will allow our team members to be successful and happy? Here are just a few.......

1) Listen. We typically feel that as leaders we need to "direct", "tell", "Instruct". That our job. But if you really want to learn about people and things around you, learn to listen. Spend time with each of your team members weekly, and just let them talk. Ask open ended questions. Let there be silence for short periods of time. Encourage people to share what they want, what they value, where they want to go.

2) Use 5:1 Leadership. When you call someone to your office, what is there first thought? Good or bad? If it's bad, your ratio of positive to negative communication is off. We want our people to get used to positive comments from us. Don't use the "leave alone zap" style of leadership. Provide 5 times more positive than negative.

3) Be Fair. I hate the term "fair" because it is subjective. Each person feels fairness means something different. Usually fair means "good for me" things. What we want to do is apply the same thought process when dealing with issues. An example would be attendance. Apply the same thought process when making your decision on how to react. Then communicate your thought process often. Someone that was in a car accident is not the same as someone who decided to hit happy hour last night.

There are certainly more things we can focus on to help retain our people. I wanted to share just my top 3. I suggest doing 360 surveys 1-2 times a year. Create an action plan around the results that will address the most commons areas mentioned, and make sure everyone "owns" the results.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=332625&ca=Business+Management

Important Notice DISCLAIMER: All information, content, and data in this article are sole opinions and/or findings of the individual user or organization that registered and submitted this article at Isnare.com without any fee. The article is strictly for educational or entertainment purposes only and should not be used in any way, implemented or applied without consultation from a professional. We at Isnare.com do not, in anyway, contribute or include our own findings, facts and opinions in any articles presented in this site. Publishing this article does not constitute Isnare.com's support or sponsorship for this article. Isnare.com is an article publishing service. Please read our Terms of Service for more information.